The Nine Lives of Pakistan: Dispatches from a Divided Nation

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An historic election is under way, the kind that promises to reshape the destiny of a nation, and this is the street music of democracy, Pakistani style. Perennials PERENNIALS constant friends A selection of novels, memoirs and more by some of our favourite authors. As Pakistan’s home-grown Taliban rise in 2006 and 2007, more and more areas become unsafe, and the violence eventually surges into the capital, Islamabad. Even though I have read hundreds of books about Pakistan, Walsh provided me with insights and details I did not know.

There is also a clear concern regarding some political decisions and the dominance of the military which have dangerous consequences for many people featured in the book. Nevertheless, this book allows a reader to appreciate the view that the instability is not solely caused by inside forces but also by colonialism and globalisation. Despite being a complex read, The Nine Lives of Pakistan: Dispatches from a Divided Nation is compelling, and it is worth persevering since it provides a detailed personal discovery of an extremely interesting country.They pass under my window – men tottering on cheap motorbikes, three to a seat, or scampering past on foot, waving placards emblazoned with images of cricket bats, tigers and arrows – symbols that help illiterate voters identify their chosen party. He meets a crusading lawyer who risks her life to fight for society's most marginalised, taking on everyone including the powerful military establishment; an imperious chieftain spouting poetry at his desert fort; a roguish politician waging a mini-war against the Taliban; and a charismatic business tycoon who moves into politics and seems to be riding high - till he takes up the wrong cause. Overhearing a group of men discussing the logistics of grabbing Walsh, the rental man bundled the Irish journalist into the vehicle and sped away.

But Manto’s other writings, and many of his real-life experiences, foreshadowed the issues that still loom large.Within The Nine Lives of Pakistan, Walsh indicates how he ‘poked an unexpectedly tender spot’ (pg xx) which led to his expulsion from the country – his questioning of government activities is referenced throughout the book.